Xanthe Ryder was educated in Canada, at King’s Hall school, Compton, Quebec. She was an all-round sportswoman, playing hockey and basketball, and also skiint for the school. After returning to England, she attended St. Hugh’s College, Oxford. After finishing third in the slalom at the Flatlander’s Championship at Mürren in January 1948, behind winner Isobel Roe, Ryder was selected for the Great Britain team at the St. Moritz Olympics the following month. At the Olympics, Ryder was one of two members of the British team to race in specially made contact lenses, Peter Boumphrey being the other. Ryder’s best result came the following year, when she finished second to Fiona Campbell in the Denman Cup at Mürren, one of the leading downhill races for British women.
Great Britain